Suncorp expands tech team with new appointment

As the Suncorp Group continues its focus on accelerating its digital and data-driven transformation, it has confirmed that it is bringing in fintech CIO Johmar Gazo into its banking and wealth team.

Mr Gazo, who was most recently the chief information and operations officer for Volt Bank, will join Suncorp on 7 September as executive general manager, banking and wealth technology.  

Prior to joining Volt Bank, Mr Gazo had previously been divisional CIO, consumer banking and wealth, at NAB and worked in several roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) over a period of five years.

During his time at CBA, Mr Gazo was general manager of IT at the retail bank; general manager IT, International Financial Services; before later becoming CIO of Commonwealth Bank, Indonesia.

In a statement to Mortgage Business, a Suncorp spokesperson noted that Mr Gazo “brings more than 25 years of technology and financial services experience, including senior leadership roles such as CIO for PT Bank Commonwealth in Indonesia and divisional CIO roles covering consumer banking, business banking, wealth and digital within NAB.”

Working alongside the group’s new chief information officer Adam Bennett and the new banking and wealth CEO Clive van Horen (who are also both former CBA employees), Mr Gazo will be focused on helping the group digitise its offering.

The move forms part of the group’s new technology and transformation function, which aims to deliver innovation in technology infrastructure, digital platforms, data and automation and drive a digital-first approach across the group.

Speaking at last week’s results announcement, Suncorp Group CEO Steve Johnston said the COVID-19 pandemic is presenting “opportunities to accelerate the pace of organisational transformation”.

“The growing preference for digital and reliance on technology is shifting the way we work and the way we support customers,” he said.

“Our teams embraced more agile ways of working to fast-track digital solutions, including enhanced webchat capabilities, online claims functionality and virtual claims assessments.”

Mr Johnston concluded: “This period has fundamentally changed our perspective on what’s possible, and how quickly and efficiently we can adapt to deliver new customer experiences and drive greater efficiencies within the organisation.”

[Related: Suncorp’s loan book contracts, bank earnings slide]